UNESCO
Shobhit S., our Lead - Research & Policy Engagement, participated in the ‘Participatory AI Research and Practice Symposium (PAIRS)’ organized by UNESCO on 17 February 2026 on the sidelines of the India-AI Impact Summit at Jindal Global University International Academy, Hotel Taj Mahal, New Delhi. The session created a space for civil society actors from across regions to reflect on how participatory practices can shape AI governance at national and global levels. The discussion focused on how CSOs engage affected communities in AI-related work, and how such participation can translate into meaningful influence in governance processes.
In the panel ‘Widening Civic Participation in AI Governance: Perspectives from the UNESCO Global Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Academic Network on AI Ethics and Policy’ he emphasized that while participatory mechanisms are increasingly recognized in AI policy discourse, significant barriers remain, including the technicalization of governance processes and the asymmetric power of BigTech in agenda-setting. He argued that participation for civil society and the Global South must extend beyond procedural inclusion, towards redistribution of power in AI governance.